How to Sneak up on a Nap As a Parent
You need to take a nap, but you are a parent! We got you. While catching some midday zzz can be tricky if you have kids (okay, that’s putting it mildly), it’s not impossible. You just have to hide it. Here are some clever ways to avoid the sleep you so desperately need.
Errand nonsense
After being in a cage for too long with toddlers tossing rocket-shaped pasta on the kitchen table, one go out to a regular meeting can feel like a vacation. Use these moments to unplug and take a nap. Sleep in the dentist’s chair while brushing. Close your eyes while the stylist washes your hair. Be like my friend Dorothy and go to sleep changing oil. If you’re lucky enough to get to work that isn’t about driving and sleeping, for heaven’s sake. This is the best multitasking.
Football game Nap
Does your child have a long morning of football matches? If it’s not a World Cup, take a nap like the brilliant mom posted on Facebook by author Glennon Doyle. “While the other parents stood loud, serious and anxious to the side: this mother laid her body on the ground with her head on her purse, and the blanket covered her face – and took a nap,” Doyle wrote. “Her whole existence said: I come to my child. But I’m not going to pretend I’m not tired of it. ” Set up a tent with blankets and pillows inside. Then look out at different intervals to show your child a thumb up or hug.
The body is like a blockade sleep
When my friend Anna returned home from work, she often found her stay-at-home on the floor, his body preventing the child from slipping out of the gate. He will sleep while their child plays with toys in her safely barricaded quarters.
Day babysitter
Parents usually hire a nanny for dates and special events. But what could be special than a blissful dream? Spending money so you can lie down may sound extravagant, but if you really lack sleep, I don’t see a more worthwhile investment.
The village collects sleep
In America, we expect adults to be “active” all the time — attentive, chatty, and armed with opinions on everything from weaning to March madness. And in other countries – the rules of rest. Parents can take a nap instead of talking about picky food again, and no one judges them. Tom Hodgkinson writes in one of my favorite parenting books in Idle Parent : “In smarter societies, childcare is divided among more people, which reduces the burden on individual parents and creates greater margin for error, fields in which sleep can be inserted. Marvel at how guilt-free a Mexican parent took a nap in a hammock, knowing that their children were surrounded by friends and family. ” At the next family party, when your child is thoroughly entertained by three aunts, maybe go somewhere to relax. Other moms and dads will look at you and think, “Wow, you mean I can do this?”
Play with sleepover Nap
When my friend’s daughter Kristen was little, they played sleepover. It’s simple. Just do what you do during your sleepover: tell scary stories, paint each other’s nails, have a pillow fight, and end the party with real sleep.
Daytime nap in the driveway
If your children fall asleep in the car (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), take the driveway, recline your seat and take a nap yourself. Don’t waste precious minutes checking Facebook.
Children’s dream from films
There isn’t much to explain with that. Tell your kids that you are taking them to the matinee, and then, once they have settled down with their popcorn and red vines, take a nap in the cool, dark theater. Don’t choose too scary moves (you can’t get them to climb on top of you in horror) and make sure everyone uses the toilet beforehand. That’s all. One hour 43 minutes of peace for $ 12, or the price of MoviePass if you plan on using this nap strategy frequently.
The nonsense of turning off a partner
When you have children, partners suddenly start using sleep as currency . Don’t let this become a source of tension and jealousy. Hodgkinson writes: “I hate this awful showdown in the evening, with each partner trying to convince the other that their life is harder. We should be overjoyed when our partner is napping: she does not relax, she is just intelligent. We need sleep! “Think about how you both take a nap. Schedule Mom’s Sleep Time and Dad’s Sleep Time for the weekend, and when it’s not your turn to hell, take the kids out of the house. (As I say, settling in my bed, “I don’t care where you go, but you cannot stay here.”) Know that when the other person wakes up a little more refreshed, everyone will be happier. And look – sleep time is just around the corner.